At first glance, it could be mistaken for coral from the ocean floor — but this intricate object rests not beneath the sea, but in the dusty expanse of Mars’ Gale Crater. NASA’s Curiosity rover captured the striking image on July 24, revealing a delicate, branching structure just 2.5 centimeters wide.
While its appearance mimics marine life, scientists confirm it is actually a wind-eroded fragment of rock. Using the rover’s Remote Micro Imager, researchers were able to study its intricate details.
NASA explains that ancient Mars once hosted flowing water, which transported minerals into cracks in the planet’s rocks. Over time, these minerals solidified into veins. Billions of years later, relentless Martian winds stripped away the surrounding material, leaving behind these coral-like patterns — a natural sculpture shaped by both water and wind over eons.
